The Iron Chancellor | Article about The Iron Chancellor by The Free Dictionary The Iron Chancellor | Article about The Iron Chancellor by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Dictionary , Thesaurus , Wikipedia . Bismarck, Otto von (bĭz`märk, Ger. ô`tō fən bĭs`märk), 1815–98, German statesman, known as the Iron Chancellor. Early Life and Career Born of an old Brandenburg Junker family, he studied at Göttingen and Berlin, and after holding minor judicial and administrative offices he was elected (1847) to the Prussian Landtag [parliament]. There he opposed the liberal movement, advocated unification of Germany under the aegis of Prussia, and defended the privileges of his elite social class, the Junkers. As Prussian minister to the German diet at Frankfurt (1851–59) and as ambassador to St. Petersburg (1859–62) and to Paris (1862), he gained the insight and experience that was to partially determine his subsequent policy.

Wars with Austria and France Bismarck was appointed premier in 1862 by William I William I, 1797–1888, emperor of Germany (1871–88) and king of Prussia (1861–88), second son of the future King Frederick William III of Prussia and Louise of Mecklenburg. ..... Click the link for more information. in order to secure adoption of the Prussian king's army program, which was then being strenuously opposed in parliament. Bismarck, in direct violation of the constitution, dissolved parliament and collected taxes for the army without parliamentary approval. To expel Austria from the German Confederation German Confederation, 1815–66, union of German states provided for at the Congress of Vienna to replace the old Holy Roman Empire, which had been destroyed during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. It comprised 39 states in all, 35 monarchies and 4 free cities. ..... Click the link for more information. now became Bismarck's chief aim. The disposition of Schleswig-Holstein Schleswig-Holstein , state (1994 pop.

2,595,000), c.6,050 sq mi (15,670 sq km), NW Germany. Kiel (the capital and chief port), Lübeck, Flensburg, and Neumünster are the major cities. ..... Click the link for more information. , former Danish territory annexed by Austria and Prussia after their defeat of the Danes in 1864, provided the necessary pretext. By the Gastein Convention of 1865 the two countries agreed to rule jointly—Austria was to administer Holstein and Prussia was to administer Schleswig; but friction soon developed. Bismarck accused Austria of violating the Gastein treaty and thus precipitated the Austro-Prussian War Austro-Prussian War or Seven Weeks War, June 15–Aug. 23, 1866, between Prussia, allied with Italy, and Austria, seconded by Bavaria, Württemberg, Saxony, Hanover, Baden, and several smaller German states. ..... Click the link for more information. (1866), which ended after seven weeks with the defeat of Austria.

By the treaty signed at the end of the war, Germany was reorganized under Prussian leadership in the North German Confederation North German Confederation, 1867–71, alliance of 22 German states N of the Main River. Dominated by Prussia, it replaced the German Confederation and included the states that had supported Prussia in the Austro-Prussian War (1866). ..... Click the link for more information. , from which Austria was excluded. Fear of France, skillfully propagated by Bismarck, was to bring the remaining German states into the Prussian orbit when the candidature of a Hohenzollern prince to the throne of Spain caused friction with the French Emperor Napoleon III Napoleon III (Louis Napoleon Bonaparte), 1808–73, emperor of the French (1852–70), son of Louis Bonaparte (see under Bonaparte, family), king of Holland. Early Life ..... Click the link for more information. .

To make sure that this friction would provoke war, Bismarck published the famous Ems dispatch Ems dispatch, 1870, communication between King William of Prussia (later German Emperor William I) and his premier, Otto von Bismarck. In June, 1870, the throne of Spain was offered to Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, a relative of King William. ..... Click the link for more information. . In the Franco-Prussian War Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, 1870–71, conflict between France and Prussia that signaled the rise of German military power and imperialism. It was provoked by Otto von Bismarck (the Prussian chancellor) as part of his plan to create a unified German ..... Click the link for more information. (1870–71) that ensued the states of S Germany rallied to the Prussian cause as Bismarck had anticipated, and in Jan., 1871, William I of Prussia was proclaimed German emperor. Alignments and Alliances Bismarck, the creator of the German empire, became its first chancellor.

When added to his Prussian positions (premier, foreign minister, and minister of commerce) the imperial chancellorship gave him almost complete control of foreign and domestic affairs. To maintain the peace necessary for the consolidation of the empire, he proposed to advance a strong military program, to gain the friendship of Austria, to preserve British friendship by avoiding naval or colonial rivalry, and to isolate France in diplomacy so that revanche would be impossible. Therefore, in 1872, he formed the Three Emperors' League Three Emperors' League, informal alliance among Austria-Hungary, Germany, and Russia, announced officially in 1872 on the occasion of the meeting of emperors Francis Joseph, William I, and Alexander II. ..... Click the link for more information. (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Russia) and also maintained friendly relations with Italy.

The Balkan rivalries of Austria and Russia and the subsequent triumph of Austria at the Congress of Berlin (see Berlin, Congress of Berlin, Congress of, 1878, called by the signers of the Treaty of Paris of 1856 (see Paris, Congress of) to reconsider the terms of the Treaty of San Stefano, which Russia had forced on the Ottoman Empire earlier in 1878. ..... Click the link for more information. ), over which Bismarck presided, caused a rift in Russo-German relations. A defensive alliance with Austria was now concluded (1879), and this Dual Alliance became a Triple Alliance when Italy adhered in 1882 (see Triple Alliance and Triple Entente Triple Alliance and Triple Entente , two international combinations of states that dominated the diplomatic history of Western Europe from 1882 until they came into armed conflict in World War I. ..... Click the link for more information. ). Friendship with Russia was revived in the Reinsurance Treaty of 1887. Bismarck, with his system of alignments and alliances, became the virtual arbiter of Europe and was acknowledged as its leading statesman.

Domestic Policies Bismarck's influence upon German domestic affairs was no less apparent than his international stature. The empire, soon after its establishment, was disturbed by the Kulturkampf Kulturkampf [Ger.,=conflict of cultures], the conflict between the German government under Bismarck and the Roman Catholic Church. The promulgation (1870) of the dogma of the infallibility of the pope in matters of faith and morals within the church sparked the conflict; it ..... Click the link for more information. , a fierce struggle between the state on the one hand and the Roman Catholic Church and Catholic Center party on the other. The conflict initiated a period of cooperation between Bismarck and the liberals, who were violently anticlerical. However, the struggle lost intensity after Bismarck failed to break the power of the Center party, which made large gains in the Reichstag in 1878. The detente with the liberals foundered in the late 1870s after Bismarck's refusal to appoint three liberals to his ministry and his adoption of protective tariffs in place of the liberals' free trade position.

Relations between Bismarck and the Center party continued to improve, and the chancellor turned his attention toward the socialists, who had increased their strength in the Reichstag, particularly after the fusion of the Lassalle and Marxian socialists (1875). Bismarck at first met the socialist opposition with extremely repressive measures. The antisocialist law passed in 1878 prohibited the circulation of socialist literature, empowered the police to break up socialist meetings, and put the trial and punishment of socialists under the jurisdiction of police courts. Although the socialists were initially weakened, they again began to increase their number in parliament. Now, partly to weaken the socialists and partly as a result of his policy of economic nationalism, Bismarck instituted a program of sweeping social reform. Between 1883 and 1887, despite violent opposition, laws were passed providing for sickness, accident, and old age insurance; limiting woman and child labor; and establishing maximum working hours. Bismarck's new economic policy also resulted in the rapid expansion of German commerce and industry and the acquisition of overseas colonies and spheres of influence (see Germany Germany , Ger.

Deutschland, officially Federal Republic of Germany, republic (2005 est. pop. 82,431,000), 137,699 sq mi (356,733 sq km). Located in the center of Europe, it borders the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France on the west; Switzerland and Austria on ..... Click the link for more information. ). End of the Era The Bismarckian era closed with the death of Emperor Frederick III. A struggle for supremacy between Bismarck and William II William II, 1859–1941, emperor of Germany and king of Prussia (1888–1918), son and successor of Frederick III and grandson of William I of Germany and of Queen Victoria of England. ..... Click the link for more information. developed immediately upon that emperor's accession in 1888 and ended with Bismarck's dismissal in 1890. Bismarck, created prince (Fürst) after the Franco-Prussian War, was now made duke (Herzog) of Lauenburg.

He retired and spent the remainder of his life in oral and written criticism of the emperor and his ministers and in defense of his own policies. Bibliography See Bismarck, the Man and the Statesman (his reminiscences, tr. by A. J. Butler, 1898, repr. 1966); biographies by A. J. P. Taylor (1955, repr. 1985) and J. Steinberg (2011); E. Eyck, Bismarck and the German Empire (3d ed. 1968); O. Pflanze, Bismarck and the Development of Germany (2d ed. 1971).

Kulturkampf | Article about Kulturkampf by The Free Dictionary Kulturkampf | Article about Kulturkampf by The Free Dictionary Related to Kulturkampf: Dual monarchy Kulturkampf (ko͝olto͞or`kämpf') [Ger.,=conflict of cultures], the conflict between the German government under Bismarck Bismarck, Otto von , 1815–98, German statesman, known as the Iron Chancellor. Early Life and Career Born of an old Brandenburg Junker family, he studied at Göttingen and Berlin, and after holding minor judicial and administrative offices he was elected ..... Click the link for more information. and the Roman Catholic Church. The promulgation (1870) of the dogma of the infallibility infallibility , in Christian thought, exemption from the possibility of error, bestowed on the church as a teaching authority, as a gift of the Holy Spirit. It has been believed since the earliest times to be guaranteed in such scriptural passages as John 14.16,17. ..... Click the link for more information.

of the pope in matters of faith and morals within the church sparked the conflict; it implied that the pope was the defender of the church against incursions by states. The German bishops and most lay Catholics supported this dogma. Bismarck, who was anxious to strengthen the central power of the new German Empire, feared the strongly organized church, which found its political voice in the Catholic Center party (organized 1870). The Center party received additional support from particularists in Bavaria and from other disaffected minorities such as the suppressed Poles in Prussia and the Guelph party of Hanover Hanover , Ger. Hannover, former independent kingdom and former province of Germany; Lower Saxony, NW Germany. Very irregular in outline, Hanover stretched from the Dutch border and the North Sea in the northwest to the Harz Mts. in the southeast. ..... Click the link for more information. , which refused to recognize Hanover's annexation (1866) by Prussia. In his opposition to the church, Bismarck found himself in alliance with the liberals, the traditional opponents of the church.

The struggle was initiated by the abolition (July, 1871) of the Catholic department in the Prussian ministry of culture. Feelings grew stronger when Bismarck gave support to the small group of churchmen led by Döllinger Döllinger, Johann Joseph Ignaz von , 1799–1890, German theologian and historian, leader of the Old Catholics. Ordained in 1822, he was subsequently professor of church history and ecclesiastical law at the Univ. ..... Click the link for more information. who refused to accept the dogma of papal infallibility. In 1872, Bismarck gave the state direct control of the schools in Prussia and obtained the expulsion of the Jesuits, first from Prussia and then from Germany as a whole. The May Laws (of May, 1873) restricted the disciplinary powers of the church, placed the education of the clergy under state supervision, and provided for the punishment of those who refused to cooperate. Next, civil ceremonies became obligatory for marriages in Germany. The church resisted these laws, and many clerics were imprisoned or removed from office for their refusal to comply.

Meanwhile, the Center party increased its strength significantly. After its large gains in the Reichstag elections of 1878, Bismarck began to moderate his policy, influenced also by the alienation of the liberals through his protective tariff policies. The death of Pope Pius IX Pius IX, 1792–1878, pope (1846–78), an Italian named Giovanni M. Mastai-Ferretti, b. Senigallia; successor of Gregory XVI. He was cardinal and bishop of Imola when elected pope. ..... Click the link for more information. (1878) aided the gradual resolution of the conflict. Many of the antichurch laws were repealed or fell into disuse. In 1887 a modus vivendi was reached with Pope Leo XIII Leo XIII, 1810–1903, pope (1878–1903), an Italian (b. Carpineto, E of Rome) named Gioacchino Pecci; successor of Pius IX.

Ordained in 1837, he earned an excellent reputation as archbishop of Perugia (1846–77), and was created cardinal in 1853. ..... Click the link for more information. . In evaluating the Kulturkampf in Germany it is important to remember that the church was at odds with a number of European states during this period. Bibliography See L. P. Walace, The Papacy and European Diplomacy, 1869–1878 (1948); see also bibliography under Bismarck, Otto von Bismarck, Otto von , 1815–98, German statesman, known as the Iron Chancellor. Early Life and Career Born of an old Brandenburg Junker family, he studied at Göttingen and Berlin, and after holding minor judicial and administrative offices he was elected ..... Click the link for more information. . Kulturkampf the generally accepted term denoting the measures instituted by O. von Bismarck’s government against the Catholic Church in the 1870’s.

The Catholic Church was the chief supporter of the Catholic Center Party, which advocated separatist and anti-Prussian views, primarily in western and southwestern Germany. During the Kulturkampf, laws were enacted forbidding priests to engage in political propaganda (December 1871), denying the clergy the right to supervise schools (March 1872), and transferring control over the training and appointment of the clergy to the state (1873). In February 1875 nearly all the Catholic religious orders were dissolved and a law providing for civil marriage was passed. Bismarck’s government used the Kulturkampf to strengthen national oppression in Polish lands under German control and sought to inflame religious passions and thus distract workers from the class struggle. Describing the Kulturkampf, V. I. Lenin wrote that “by this struggle, Bismarck only stimulated the militant clericalism of the Catholics, and only injured the work of real culture, because he gave prominence to religious divisions rather than political divisions” (Poln. sobr. soch., 5th ed., vol. 17, pp. 416-17).

In the late 1870’s and early 1880’s Bismarck attempted a reconciliation with the Catholic clergy in order to unite all conservative forces. Most of the laws enacted during the Kulturkampf were repealed, and only the laws providing for civil marriage and the expulsion of the Jesuits remained in force. REFERENCES Otto Von Bismarck, the Iron Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the Iron Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the Iron Chancellor The Master of "Realpolitik" Unified Germany Otto von Bismarck. Getty Images By Robert McNamara Updated March 31, 2016. Otto von Bismarck, a son of the Prussian aristocracy, unified Germany in the 1870s . And he actually dominated European affairs for decades through his brilliant and ruthless implementation of realpolitik, a system of politics based on practical, and not necessarily moral, considerations. Bismarck started out as an unlikely candidate for political greatness. Born April 1, 1815, he was a rebellious child who managed to attend university and become a lawyer by the age of 21.

But as a young man he was hardly a success, and was known for being a heavy drinker with no real direction in life. In his early 30s he went through a transformation in which he changed from being a fairly vocal atheist to being quite religious. He also married, and became involved in politics, becoming a substitute member of the Prussian parliament. Throughout the 1850s and early 1860s , he advanced through several diplomatic positions, serving in St. Petersburg, Vienna, and Paris. continue reading below our video Profile of Otto von Bismarck He became known for issuing sharp judgments on the foreign leaders he encountered. In 1862 the Prussian king, Wilhelm, wanted to create larger armies to effectively enforce Prussia’s foreign policy. The parliament was resistant to allocate the necessary funds, and the nation’s war minister convinced the king to entrust the government to Bismarck. Blood and Iron In a meeting with legislators in late September 1862, Bismarck made a statement which would become notorious.

“The great questions of the day will not be decided by speeches and resolutions of majorities… but by blood and iron.” Bismarck later complained that his words were taken out of context and misconstrued, but “blood and iron” became a popular nickname for his policies. Austro-Prussian War In 1864 Bismarck, utilizing some brilliant diplomatic maneuvers, engineered a scenario in which Prussia provoked a war with Denmark and enlisted the help of Austria, which derived little benefit itself. This soon led to the Austro-Prussian War, which Prussia won while offering Austria fairly lenient surrender terms. Prussia’s victory in the war allowed it to annex more territory, and greatly increased Bismarck’s own power. The “Ems Telegram” A dispute arose in 1870 when the vacant throne of Spain was offered to a German prince. The French were concerned about a possible Spanish and German alliance, and a French minister approached Wilhelm, the Prussian king, who was at the resort town of Ems.

Wilhelm in turn sent a written report about the meeting to Bismarck, who published an edited version of it as the “Ems Telegram.” It led the French to believe that Prussia was ready to go to war, and France used it as a pretext to declare war on July 19, 1870. The French were seen as the aggressors, and the German states sided with Prussia in a military alliance. Franco-Prussian War The war went disastrously for France. Within six weeks Napoleon III was taken prisoner when his army was forced to surrender at Sedan. Alsace-Lorraine was overtaken by Prussia. Paris declared itself a republic, and the Prussians besieged the city. The French eventually surrendered on January 28, 1871. The motivations of Bismarck were often not clear to his adversaries, and it's commonly believed that he provoked the war with France specifically to create a scenario in which the South German states would want to unify with Prussia. Bismarck was able to form the Reich, a unified German empire led by the Prussians. Alsace-Lorraine became an imperial territory of Germany.

Wilhelm was declared Kaiser, or emperor, and Bismarck became chancellor. Bismarck was also given the royal title of prince and awarded an estate. Chancellor of the Reich From 1871 to from 1890 Bismarck essentially ruled a unified Germany, modernizing its government as it transformed into an industrialized society. Bismarck was bitterly opposed to the power of the Catholic Church, and his kulturkampf campaign against the church was controversial but ultimately not entirely successful. During the 1870s and 1880s Bismarck engaged in a number of treaties which were considered diplomatic successes. Germany remained powerful, and potential enemies were played off against each other. Bismarck’s genius lay in being able to maintain tension between rival nations, to the benefit of Germany. Fall from Power Kaiser Wilhelm died in early 1888, but Bismarck stayed on as chancellor when the emperor’s son, Wilhelm II, ascended to the throne. But the 29-year-old emperor was not happy with the 73-year-old Bismarck.

The young Kaiser Wilhelm II was able to maneuver Bismarck into a situation in which it was publicly stated that Bismarck was retiring for reasons of health. Bismarck made no secret of his bitterness. He lived in retirement, writing and commenting on international affairs, and died in 1898. Legacy of Bismarck The judgment of history on Bismarck is mixed. While he unified Germany and helped it become a modern power, he did not create political institutions that could live on without his personal guidance. It has been noted that Kaiser Wilhelm II, through inexperience or arrogance, essentially undid much of what Bismarck accomplished, and thereby set the stage for World War I. Bismarck's imprint on history has been stained in some eyes as the Nazis, decades after his death, attempted at times to portray themselves as his heirs. Yet historians have noted that Bismarck would have been horrified by Nazis. Which Prussian statesman was known as the "Iron Chancellor"? Which Prussian statesman was known as the "Iron Chancellor"? Otto von Bismarck was known as the "Iron Chancellor". Get an answer Which Prussian statesman was known as the "Iron Chancellor"?

Original conversation User: Which Prussian statesman was known as the "Iron Chancellor"? Weegy: Otto von Bismarck was known as the "Iron Chancellor". Expert answered| rugmaker |Points 3396| User: thank you There are no new answers. Comments Weegy: Patriotism describes strong sense of attachment to one's homeland User: is it nationalism Weegy: Nationalism is also a term to describe strong sense of attachment to one's homeland (More) Question Weegy: -54 + 18 = -36 User: Simplify 3(x - 4) + 8(x + 2) User: What is the equation of the line that passes through ... 1/17/2017 1:07:03 PM| 5 Answers Weegy: r(r+3) = 1 User: 5x + 2y = 20, when x = 0.3? User: What is the value of a in the equation 3a + b = 54, when b ...

1/17/2017 9:50:12 AM| 3 Answers Weegy: C. [ July On July 4, 2008, our planet is at the distant end- a point astronomers call "aphelion." This puts ... 1/18/2017 1:59:28 AM| 3 Answers The Iron Chancellor - definition of The Iron Chancellor by The Free Dictionary The Iron Chancellor - definition of The Iron Chancellor by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Thesaurus , Encyclopedia , Wikipedia . ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend: Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us , add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content . Link to this page: von Bismarck References in periodicals archive ? The best-selling Bild newspaper yesterday mocked up a picture of the chancellor with a pointy Prussian helmet under the headline: "Today we need the Iron Chancellor.

VOICE OF THE SUNDAY Mirror: Victims of tax blunder must not lose out Hearing him try to convince me he's just an ordinary guy and not really the Iron Chancellor was nearly as sick-making as Tony Blair coming out to cameras clutching his coffee mug or David Cameron's attempts to show he spends ALL his spare time at the kitchen sink in a servantless house. Politicians' private lives not the Point Hearing him try to convince me he's just an ordinary guy and not really the Iron Chancellor, was nearly as sick-making as David Cameron's attempts to show he spends ALL his spare time at the kitchen sink in a servantless house. Iron Chancellor - definition of Iron Chancellor by The Free Dictionary Iron Chancellor - definition of Iron Chancellor by The Free Dictionary Also found in: Thesaurus , Encyclopedia , Wikipedia . Iron Chancellor (Biography) the. nickname of (Prince Otto Eduard Leopold von) Bismarck 1 ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend: 1. Iron Chancellor - German statesman under whose leadership Germany was united (1815-1898) Want to thank TFD for its existence?

Tell a friend about us , add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content . Link to this page: von Bismarck References in periodicals archive ? The best-selling Bild newspaper yesterday mocked up a picture of the chancellor with a pointy Prussian helmet under the headline: "Today we need the Iron Chancellor. Gordon's pounds 3,000 lakeside vacation However, given the dire situation we are in economically and politically, our MPs should concentrate on reducing unemployment, actually doing something to help countless struggling businesses caught up, through no fault of their own, in the mess created by Mr Brown's friend, the allegedly iron chancellor. Copyright © 2003-2016 Farlex, Inc Disclaimer All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.

GERMAN STATESMAN – OTTO VON BISMARK Iron Chancellor – UNIQUE METAL BRONZE STATUE | Soviet Era Musem Home › Bronze busts › GERMAN STATESMAN – OTTO VON BISMARK Iron Chancellor – UNIQUE METAL BRONZE STATUE GERMAN STATESMAN – OTTO VON BISMARK Iron Chancellor – UNIQUE METAL BRONZE STATUE $130 Item: Bronze GERMAN STATESMAN – OTTO VON BISMARK Iron Chancellor Manufacturer: Date of manufacture unknown Condition: Good Size: 19 cm (8 inches) Shipping: Worldwide free shipping! Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg (1 April 1815 – 30 July 1898), simply known as Otto von Bismarck, was a conservative German statesman who dominated European affairs from the 1860s to his dismissal in 1890 by Emperor Wilhelm II. In 1871, after a series of short victorious wars, he unified most of the German states (excluding Austria) into a powerful German Empire under Prussian leadership.

He then created a balance of power that preserved peace in Europe from 1871 until 1914. As Minister President of Prussia 1862–90, Bismarck provoked wars that made Prussia dominant over Austria and France, and lined up the smaller German states behind Prussia. In 1867 he also became Chancellor of the North German Confederation. Otto von Bismarck became the first Chancellor of a united Germany after the 1871 Treaty of Versailles and largely controlled its affairs until he was removed by Kaiser (Emperor) Wilhelm II in 1890. His diplomacy of Realpolitik and powerful rule gained him the nickname the “Iron Chancellor”. As Henry Kissinger has noted, “The man of ‘blood and iron’ wrote prose of extraordinary directness and lucidity, comparable in distinctiveness to Churchill’s use of the English language.” He used balance-of-power diplomacy to keep Europe peaceful in the 1870s and 1880s. He created a new nation-state and led the way to the welfare state. He disliked colonialism but reluctantly built an overseas empire when it was demanded by both elite and mass opinion.

Bismarck (a devout Lutheran) was loyal to his king, who in turn gave Bismarck his full support. While his new German Empire had universal male suffrage, the elected officials did not have real control of the government. Bismarck distrusted democracy and ruled through a strong, well-trained bureaucracy with power in the hands of a Junker elite representing the landed aristocracy in the east. Bismarck, an aristocratic Junker himself, had an extremely aggressive and domineering personality. He possessed not only a long-term national and international vision, but also the short-term ability to juggle many complex developments simultaneously. As the leader of what historians call “revolutionary conservatism” Bismarck became a hero to German nationalists; they built hundreds of monuments glorifying the iconic symbol of powerful conservative leadership.

Videos: Otto von Bismarck - Wikiquote Otto von Bismarck Prince Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg ( 1 April 1815 – 30 July 1898 ), was a German aristocrat and statesman; he was Prime Minister of Prussia (1862–1890), and the first Chancellor of Germany (1871–1890). Nicknamed the Iron Chancellor he is noted for his laconic remarks. Contents Quotes[ edit ] Not by speeches and votes of the majority, are the great questions of the time decided … but by iron and blood . A statesman cannot create anything himself. He must wait and listen until he hears the steps of God sounding through events; then leap up and grasp the hem of his garment. A conquering army on the border will not be stopped by eloquence . Politics is the art of the possible. Preventive war is like committing suicide for fear of death . The truth is that with a gentleman I am always a gentleman and a half, and when I have to do with a pirate , I try to be a pirate and a half.

A single spark will set off an explosion that will consume us all … I cannot tell you when that explosion will occur, but I can tell you where … Some damned foolish thing in the Balkans will set it off. Nicht durch Reden und Majoritätsbeschlüsse werden die großen Fragen der Zeit entschieden — das ist der große Fehler von 1848 und 1849 gewesen — sondern durch Eisen und Blut. Not by speeches and votes of the majority, are the great questions of the time decided — that was the error of 1848 and 1849 — but by iron and blood. Variant translations : It is not by speeches and majority vote that the great questions of our time will be decided — as that was error of 1848 and 1849 — but rather by iron and blood. The great questions of the time are not decided by speeches and majority decisions — that was the error of 1848 and 1849 — but by iron and blood.

The great issues of the day are not decided through speeches and majority resolutions — that was the great error of 1848 and 1849 — but through blood and iron. The great questions of the day will not be decided by speeches and the resolutions of majorities — that was the great mistake from 1848 to 1849 — but by blood and iron. The great questions of the day will not be settled by means of speeches and majority decisions … but by iron and blood. Speech to the Budget Commission of the Prussian Diet (30 September 1862), published in Fürst Bismarck als Redner, Vol. 2 (after 1881), edited by Wilhelm Böhm, p. 12 ); after some objections to his initial speech Bismarck returned to the podium and declared: Auswärtige Conflicte zu suchen, um über innere Schwierigkeiten hinwegzukommen, dagegen müsse er sich verwahren; das würde frivol sein; er wolle nicht Händel suchen ; er spreche von Conflicten, denen wir nicht entgehen würden, ohne daß wir sie suchten.

I must protest that I would never seek foreign conflicts just to go over domestic difficulties; that would be frivolous. I was speaking of conflicts that we could not avoid, even though we do not seek them. Die Reden des Ministerpräsidenten von Bismarck-Schönhausen im Preußischen Landtage 1862-1865 (1903) edited by Horst Kohl, p. 31 A statesman cannot create anything himself. He must wait and listen until he hears the steps of God sounding through events; then leap up and grasp the hem of his garment. As quoted in Bismarck: The Man and the Statesman (1955) by Alan John Percivale Taylor, p. 115 Haut doch die Polen, daß sie am Leben verzagen; ich habe alles Mitgefühl für ihre Lage, aber wir können, wenn wir bestehn wollen, nichts andres tun, als sie ausrotten; der Wolf kann auch nicht dafür, daß er von Gott geschaffen ist, wie er ist, und man schießt ihn doch dafür totd, wenn man kann.

Hit the Poles so hard that they despair of their life; I have full sympathy with their condition, but if we want to survive, we can only exterminate them; the wolf, too, cannot help having been created by God as he is, but people shoot him for it if they can. A conquering army on the border will not be stopped by eloquence. Speech to North German Reichstag (24 September 1867) Die Politik ist keine exakte Wissenschaft. Politics is not an exact science . Speech to Prussian upper house (18 December 1863) Variant: Die Politik ist keine Wissenschaft, wie viele der Herren Proffessoren sich einbilden, sondern eine Kunst. Politics is not a science, as the professors are apt to suppose. It is an art. Expression in the Reichstag (1884), as quoted in The Quote Verifier : Who Said What, Where, and When (2006) by Ralph Keyes Die Politik ist die Lehre vom Möglichen. Politics is the art of the possible. Interview (11 August 1867) with Friedrich Meyer von Waldeck of the St.

Petersburgische Zeitung : Aus den Erinnerungen eines russischen Publicisten. 2. Ein Stündchen beim Kanzler des norddeutschen Bundes. In: Die Gartenlaube (1876) p. 858 de.wikisource . Reprinted in Fürst Bismarck: neue Tischgespräche und Interviews, Vol. 1, p. 248 Setzen wir Deutschland, so zu sagen, in den Sattel! Reiten wird es schon können. Let us lift Germany, so to speak, into the saddle. Surely when that is achieved, it will succeed at riding as well. Speech to Parliament of Confederation (1867) Wer den Daumen auf dem Beutel hat, der hat die Macht. He who has his thumb on the purse has the power. Speech to North German Reichstag (21 May 1869), Stenographische Berichte p. 1017 (left) Wir Deutsche fürchten Gott, aber sonst nichts in der Welt - und die Gottesfurcht ist es schon, die uns den Frieden lieben und pflegen lässt.

We Germans fear God, but nothing else in the world; and it is the fear of God, which lets us love and foster peace. Speech to the Reichstag (6 February 1888) reichstagsprotokolle.de 1887/88,2 p. 733 (D) Preventive war is like committing suicide for fear of death. Quoted as a remark of Bismark without quotation marks, in Thinking About the Unthinkable in the 1980s (1984) by Herman Kahn , p. 136, a paraphrase of what Bismarck told the Reichstag on Feb. 9, 1876.

Referring to March 1875, when the French National Assembly had decided to strengthen their army by 144,000 additional troops, Bismarck asked the deputies to imagine he had told them a year ago that one had to wage war without having been attacked or humiliated: „Würden Sie da nicht sehr geneigt gewesen sein, zunächst nach dem Arzte zu schicken (Heiterkeit), um untersuchen zu lassen, wie ich dazu käme, dass ich nach meiner langen politischen Erfahrung die kolossale Dummheit begehen könnte, so vor Sie zu treten und zu sagen: Es ist möglich, dass wir in einigen Jahren einmal angegriffen werden, damit wir dem nun zuvorkommen, fallen wir rasch über unsere Nachbarn her und hauen sie zusammen, ehe sie sich vollständig erholen – gewissermaßen Selbstmord aus Besorgniß vor dem Tode" (Would you not have been inclined very much to send for a physician in the first place and let him find out, how I with my long experience in politics could commit the colossal stupidity of [...] telling you: It is possible that in some years we might be

 attacked; to pre-empt that, let us overrun our neighbors and smash them before they have fully recovered [from the war of 1870/71] - in a way [commit] suicide from fear of death) reichstagsprotokolle.de 1875/76,2 p.

1329-30 Your map of Africa is really quite nice. But my map of Africa lies in Europe. Here is Russia, and here... is France, and we're in the middle — that's my map of Africa. Discussing the w:Emin Pasha Relief Expedition with Eugen Wolf on 5 December 1888 „Ihre Karte von Afrika ist ja sehr schön, aber meine Karte von Afrika liegt in Europa. Hier liegt Rußland, und hier" - nach links deutend - "liegt Frankreich, und wir sind in der Mitte; das ist meine Karte von Afrika." Eugen Wolf: Vom Fürsten Bismarck und seinem Haus. Tagebuchblätter. 2nd edition Berlin 1904, p. 16 archive.org Der alte Jude, das ist der Mann. The old Jew, he is the man. A conversation in 1879 on who was the centre of gravity at the Congress of Berlin, referring to Benjamin Disraeli , as quoted in Seven Great Statesmen in the Warfare of Humanity with Unreason (1912) by Andrew Dickson White , p.

482 They treat me like a fox, a cunning fellow (Schlaukopf) of the first rank. But the truth is that with a gentleman I am always a gentleman and a half, and when I have to do with a pirate, I try to be a pirate and a half. Talking to Gyula Andrássy in Salzburg on 18 September 1877. As quoted in Disraeli, Gladstone, and the Eastern Question. A Study in Diplomacy and Party Politics (1935) by Robert William Seton-Watson , p. 224 books.google ; "Schlaukopf" is translated elsewhere as "clever dick" or "smart aleck." With deal (instead of do) with a pirate, in Prime Minister Gyula Andrássy's influence on Habsburg foreign policy during the Franco-German War of 1870-1871 (1979) by János Decsy, p. 21 „Man behandelt mich wie einen Fuchs, wie einen Schlaukopf erster Klasse.

Die Wahrheit aber ist, qu'avec un gentleman se suis toujours gentleman et demi, et que quand j'ai affaire à un corsaire, je tâche d'etre corsaire et demi" Eduard von Wertheimer: Graf Julius Andrássy. Sein Leben und seine Zeit. Vol. III. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt Stuttgart 1914 pp. 42-43 Europe today is a powder keg and the leaders are like men smoking in an arsenal … A single spark will set off an explosion that will consume us all … I cannot tell you when that explosion will occur, but I can tell you where … Some damned foolish thing in the Balkans will set it off. Comment during the Congress of Berlin in 1878, as quoted in "European Diary" by Andrei Navrozov, in Chronicles Vol. 32 (2008) Concerning the blunders which had been made in our foreign policy public opinion is, as a rule, first enlightened when it is in a position to look back upon the history of a generation, and the Achivi qui plectuntur are not always immediately contemporary with the mistaken actions." The Kaiser vs. Bismarck.

Suppressed Letters by the Kaiser and New Chapters from the Autobiography of the Iron Chancellor. Translated by Bernard Miall. Harper New York & London 1921, p. 183 archive.org . Achivi qui plectuntur refers to the proverbial verse "Quidquid delirant reges, plectuntur Achivi" from Horace 's Epistles Liber I Epistula II la.wikisource : Whatever their kings are raging the Achaeans have to pay for. Ueber die Fehler, welche in der auswärtigen Politik begangen wurden, wird sich die öffentliche Meinung in der Regel erst klar, wenn sie auf die Geschichte eines Menschenalters zurückzublicken im Stande ist, und die Achivi qui plectuntur sind nicht immer die unmittelbaren Zeitgenossen der fehlerhaften Handlungen." Otto von Bismarck: Gedanken und Erinnerungen chapter 12 zeno.org Faust complains of having two souls in his breast. I have a whole squabbling crowd. It goes on as in a republic.

As quoted in Bismarck: The Man and the Statesman (1955) by A. J. P. Taylor , p. 12. Cf. Goethe, Faust, Part I : Zwei Seelen wohnen, ach! in meiner Brust, / Die eine will sich von der andern trennen ("Two souls, alas! reside within my breast, / and each is eager for a separation"). Faust klagt über die zwei Seelen in seiner Brust; ich beherberge aber eine ganze Menge, die sich zanken. Es geht da zu wie in einer Republik... Das meiste, was sie sagen, teile ich mit. Es sind da aber auch ganze Provinzen, in die ich nie einen andern Menschen werde hineinsehen lassen. Bismarck traveling in an open carriage through the green valley of Hofgastein to Salzburg with Vortragender Rat Robert von Keudell and Geheimrat Heinrich Abeken on 18 August 1865 after the Gastein Convention had been signed on 14 August 1865 (as reported by Keudell).

Bismarck: Die gesammelten Werke, Band 7 Gespräche, 1924, p. 101 Disputed[ edit ] Who is master of Bohemia is master of Europe. Reported as frequently quoted but unverified in Respectfully Quoted: A Dictionary of Quotations (1989), which states, "it cannot be found in the official writings and pronouncements of Bismarck. It is possible that he said it, and it was passed on orally rather than being recorded, or that he expressed the sentiment in other terms and the idea took this form as others tried to quote him". George Louis Beer , in The English-Speaking Peoples, Their Future Relations and Joint International Obligations (1917), p. 186 He trusted to the levelling effect of time and to the pressure exercised by the process of evolution, the steady action of which appeared more effective than an attempt to break the resistance which the individual states offered at the moment. By this policy he showed his great ability in the art of statesmanship. And, as a matter of fact, the sovereignty of the Reich has continually increased at the cost of the sovereignty of the individual states.

Adolf Hitler , Mein Kampf, Volume II, Chapter X The era of Bismarck (1861-90) saw the Concert of Europe at its best. In two decades immediately following Germany's rise to the status of a Great Power, she was the chief beneficiary of the peace interest. She had forced her way into the front ranks at the cost of Austria and France; it was to her advantage to maintain the status quo and to prevent a war which could be only a war of revenge against herself. Bismarck deliberately fostered the notion of peace as a common venture of the Powers, and avoided commitments which might force Germany out of the position of a peace Power. He opposed expansionist ambitions in the Balkans or overseas; he used the free trade weapon consistently against Austria, and even against France; he thwarted Russia's and Austria's Balkan ambitions with the help of the balance-of-power game, thus keeping in with potential allies and averting situations which might involve Germany in war. The scheming aggressor of 1863-70 turned into the honest broker of 1878, and the deprecator of colonial adventures.

He consciously took the lead in what he felt to be the peaceful trend of the time in order to serve Germany's national interests. Karl Polanyi , The Great Transformation (1944), Ch. 1 : The Hundred Years' Peace This Week In History: German statesman Otto von Bismarck was born in 1815 – World Book INK worldbookblog Leave a comment Otto von Bismarck, a Prussian politician, soldier, and prince, was at the center of Prussian and German affairs during the second half of the 1800’s. As prime minister of Prussia, Bismarck provoked three wars to force the unification of several German states—with Prussia at the head—into the German empire in 1871. Then, as chancellor of Germany, he pursued treaties to balance the distribution of power among European nations. A staunch conservative monarchist, Bismarck declared that the great problems of his time must be settled by “blood and iron” instead of by speeches and resolutions. Yet, circumstances led him to create a national welfare state and introduce universal male suffrage.

Bismarck’s aggressive yet pragmatic actions—and attitudes—heavily influenced Germany well into the 1900’s. Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck was born on April 1, 1815, in Schönhausen, in the Prussian province of Saxony. The son of a noble family, he studied law at the universities of Göttingen and Berlin. Bismarck served as an officer in the Prussian army before being elected to the Prussian Diet (national assembly). In 1849, his speeches against liberal revolutionaries gained him the favor of King Frederick William IV. Bismarck then represented Prussia in the Diet of the German Confederation from 1851 to 1859. He served as ambassador first to Russia and then to France. He was recalled to Prussia in 1862 to become prime minister and secretary of foreign affairs. To unify the German states, Bismarck fought a war against Denmark in 1864; the Seven Weeks’ War against Austria in 1866; and the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871.

Germany’s harsh peace treaty with France instilled a spirit of revenge among the French, a spirit that sped the path to war in later years. In January 1871, the king of Prussia was crowned Wilhelm I, emperor of Germany. Bismarck became chancellor and the head of the government of the new German empire. He was soon known as the “Iron Chancellor.” Bismarck’s success in attaining German unity and national power was based on effective military policy, extraordinary political cunning, and considerable diplomatic skill. He devoted his skills to the establishment of treaties that fortified the position of Germany in Europe. He created the Triple Alliance with Austria-Hungary and Italy and created an effective treaty with Russia. He also established the principle that Germany should never fight a two-front war. To appease considerable Catholic and Socialist opposition within Germany, Bismarck made a number of liberal reforms. He introduced a national health care system, accident insurance, and old age pensions, and he gave the right to vote to all German males. Conversely, Bismarck also created exploitative colonies in Africa. Wilhelm II, who became emperor in 1888, was jealous of Bismarck’s fame.

He forced the aged chancellor to resign in 1890. Bismarck retired to his estates at Friedrichsruh, where he died on July 30, 1898. In the years following Bismarck’s death, Wilhelm II guided Germany away from Bismarck’s policies. The emperor alienated Italy, Russia, and the United Kingdom, and led Germany into World War I (1914-1918), a horrific war with two fronts, east and west. Following Germany’s defeat in the war, the right-wing National Socialists (Nazis) distorted Bismarck’s views to promote and install a new nationalist, antidemocratic government. The Nazis then plunged Europe into World War II (1939-1945)—a tragic war that Germany again fought, and lost, on essentially two fronts. The famous German battleship Bismarck, sunk during World War II, was named for the “Iron Chancellor,” as were a popular brand of pickled herring, a pastry, and the capital of North Dakota. Several other towns bear Bismarck’s name, as do an archipelago, a sea, and a mountain range.

Share this: List of books and articles about Otto von Bismarck | Online Research Library: Questia Home » Browse » History » European History » Germany » Germany 1806-1871 » Otto von Bismarck Otto von Bismarck Otto von Bismarck (bĬz´märk, Ger. ô´tō fən bĬs´märk), 1815–98, German statesman, known as the Iron Chancellor. Early Life and Career Born of an old Brandenburg Junker family, he studied at Göttingen and Berlin, and after holding minor judicial and administrative offices he was elected (1847) to the Prussian Landtag [parliament]. There he opposed the liberal movement, advocated unification of Germany under the aegis of Prussia, and defended the privileges of his elite social class, the Junkers. As Prussian minister to the German diet at Frankfurt (1851–59) and as ambassador to St. Petersburg (1859–62) and to Paris (1862), he gained the insight and experience that was to partially determine his subsequent policy.

Wars with Austria and France Bismarck was appointed premier in 1862 by William I in order to secure adoption of the Prussian king's army program, which was then being strenuously opposed in parliament. Bismarck, in direct violation of the constitution, dissolved parliament and collected taxes for the army without parliamentary approval. To expel Austria from the German Confederation now became Bismarck's chief aim. The disposition of Schleswig-Holstein , former Danish territory annexed by Austria and Prussia after their defeat of the Danes in 1864, provided the necessary pretext. By the Gastein Convention of 1865 the two countries agreed to rule jointly—Austria was to administer Holstein and Prussia was to administer Schleswig; but friction soon developed. Bismarck accused Austria of violating the Gastein treaty and thus precipitated the Austro-Prussian War (1866), which ended after seven weeks with the defeat of Austria. By the treaty signed at the end of the war, Germany was reorganized under Prussian leadership in the North German Confederation , from which Austria was excluded.

Fear of France, skillfully propagated by Bismarck, was to bring the remaining German states into the Prussian orbit when the candidature of a Hohenzollern prince to the throne of Spain caused friction with the French Emperor Napoleon III . To make sure that this friction would provoke war, Bismarck published the famous Ems dispatch . In the Franco-Prussian War (1870–71) that ensued the states of S Germany rallied to the Prussian cause as Bismarck had anticipated, and in Jan., 1871, William I of Prussia was proclaimed German emperor. Alignments and Alliances Bismarck, the creator of the German empire, became its first chancellor. When added to his Prussian positions (premier, foreign minister, and minister of commerce) the imperial chancellorship gave him almost complete control of foreign and domestic affairs. To maintain the peace necessary for the consolidation of the empire, he proposed to advance a strong military program, to gain the friendship of Austria, to preserve British friendship by avoiding naval or colonial rivalry, and to isolate France in diplomacy so that revanche would be impossible.

Therefore, in 1872, he formed the Three Emperors' League (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Russia) and also maintained friendly relations with Italy. The Balkan rivalries of Austria and Russia and the subsequent triumph of Austria at the Congress of Berlin (see Berlin, Congress of ), over which Bismarck presided, caused a rift in Russo-German relations. A defensive alliance with Austria was now concluded (1879), and this Dual Alliance became a Triple Alliance when Italy adhered in 1882 (see Triple Alliance and Triple Entente ). Friendship with Russia was revived in the Reinsurance Treaty of 1887. Bismarck, with his system of alignments and alliances, became the virtual arbiter of Europe and was acknowledged as its leading statesman. Domestic Policies Bismarck's influence upon German domestic affairs was no less apparent than his international stature. The empire, soon after its establishment, was disturbed by the Kulturkampf , a fierce struggle between the state on the one hand and the Roman Catholic Church and Catholic Center party on the other. The conflict initiated a period of cooperation between Bismarck and the liberals, who were violently anticlerical.

However, the struggle lost intensity after Bismarck failed to break the power of the Center party, which made large gains in the Reichstag in 1878. The detente with the liberals foundered in the late 1870s after Bismarck's refusal to appoint three liberals to his ministry and his adoption of protective tariffs in place of the liberals' free trade position. Relations between Bismarck and the Center party continued to improve, and the chancellor turned his attention toward the socialists, who had increased their strength in the Reichstag, particularly after the fusion of the Lassalle and Marxian socialists (1875). Bismarck at first met the socialist opposition with extremely repressive measures. The antisocialist law passed in 1878 prohibited the circulation of socialist literature, empowered the police to break up socialist meetings, and put the trial and punishment of socialists under the jurisdiction of police courts. Although the socialists were initially weakened, they again began to increase their number in parliament. Now, partly to weaken the socialists and partly as a result of his policy of economic nationalism, Bismarck instituted a program of sweeping social reform.

Between 1883 and 1887, despite violent opposition, laws were passed providing for sickness, accident, and old age insurance; limiting woman and child labor; and establishing maximum working hours. Bismarck's new economic policy also resulted in the rapid expansion of German commerce and industry and the acquisition of overseas colonies and spheres of influence (see Germany ). End of the Era The Bismarckian era closed with the death of Emperor Frederick III. A struggle for supremacy between Bismarck and William II developed immediately upon that emperor's accession in 1888 and ended with Bismarck's dismissal in 1890. Bismarck, created prince (Fürst) after the Franco-Prussian War, was now made duke (Herzog) of Lauenburg. He retired and spent the remainder of his life in oral and written criticism of the emperor and his ministers and in defense of his own policies. Bibliography See Bismarck, the Man and the Statesman (his reminiscences, tr. by A. J. Butler, 1898, repr. 1966); biographies by A. J. P.

Taylor (1955, repr. 1985) and J. Steinberg (2011); E. Eyck, Bismarck and the German Empire (3d ed. 1968); O. Pflanze, Bismarck and the Development of Germany (2d ed. 1971). The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright© 2016, The Columbia University Press. Otto von Bismarck: Selected full-text books and articles

Question: Which German statesman was known as the Iron Chancellor?
Answer: Otto von BISMARCK